The invention relates to a sampling apparatus made of a material such as plastic material and/or glass, a body of the material forming a cavity for receiving a liquid sample, the sampling apparatus comprising a gauging region which can be arranged in a focus region of a visual measuring device for determining the position of the sampling apparatus and/or of the cavity, and in which at least one reference marker is arranged which can be detected by means of the visual measuring device.
Disposable products (also known as “consumable devices”) used in medical diagnostics are known from the prior art. For example, disposable products exist for urine analysis which are used as sampling apparatuses for carrying out a fluid image analysis. After filling a region of the disposable product intended for this purpose with the urine sample, said product is placed into a suitable measuring device. Examination images can then be taken and stored. After segmenting and classifying particles contained in the urine, it is usually possible to draw a conclusion on potential illnesses.
Using the fluid image analysis, bacteria in the μm size range can be gauged, for example. Furthermore, it is also possible to identify blood components or salts, for example.
Generally, in systems for visually measuring or analysing certain regions of selected materials (e.g. plastic material or glass), which optionally contain certain particles, elements or other substances to be identified owing to the addition or removal of particular liquids, solutions or additives, the regions intended therefor need to be marked or indicated in or on the material. The process step of measuring or analysing the specified region then takes place largely automatically by means of a visual measurement/evaluation system.
In order for it to be possible for the measuring device to determine and adjust the system focus as reliably as possible, visual reference markers are arranged in the measuring region of the sampling apparatus, which markers can be detected by means of the measuring device and represent the regions in which focus is intended to be measured. For example, these reference markers are in the form of conical markers or reference marks in the material of the sampling apparatus for the quality assurance of the function. These reference markers make it possible to reliably determine the system focus and at the same time provide a direct feedback mechanism for the electrical adjustable focus system.
Placing reference features for the measuring region to be examined by means of the visual measuring system often presents a problem, since the markers in the material vary in shape, size and visual appearance, and may extend into the nano range depending on the application. It is known from the prior art to produce said reference markers by means of a standard laser process, which acts on the surface of the material of the sampling apparatus, for example by means of direct laser marking.
The drawback here, however, is that by applying the reference markers by means of laser marking, which acts on the object surface or on the object surface and in the region close to the surface, particles are deposited on the surface or on the object surface and in the region close to the surface. Said particles settle on the sampling apparatus and/or in the cavity and may thus negatively affect the measurements made by the measuring device in the region of the markers (reference markers). The particles accumulated during laser marking on the object surface are incorporated into the visual evaluation carried out by the measuring system and thus distort the measurement results.
Making markers in general in a workpiece is known from the prior art. Furthermore, the prior art discloses laser markers for applying a matrix code to an object and read-out equipment for reading out the matrix code applied by laser marking.
However, the prior art does not disclose how a measurement that is less susceptible to faults can be implemented in a sampling apparatus.